The regular season illuminated some of the problems that Allen was having with his ability to read defenses and understanding how to attack them.

Allen has made some progress since returning from injury, Cosell said.

"I would say that he's been a little bit better the last two weeks than he was prior to the injury," he said. "I still think he's got a ways to go, which I think is pretty obvious."

Cosell said Allen is very gifted in terms of his size, arm strength and movement. But those are general traits and there's more to playing the quarterback position.

"Now you have to get to the nuances and the subtleties of playing the position," he said. "One of the things that he's still working on, and we'll find out as he progresses, is his ability to see the field and to be able to understand where he needs to throw the ball if the primary read is not immediately there.

"We're talking field vision and we're talking about what I call the ability to eliminate and to isolate. You need to be able to eliminate what's not there, and then isolate what is there within the timing of the pass drop and the route concept. That's an area in which he needs to improve. That will take time. "

Getty Photo/Michael Reaves

The key to improvement is field vision

There are some plays where Allen is seeing the field and making NFL-level throws. He said when he returned against Jacksonville that the game seemed to be slowing down for him.

Allen's second touchdown pass against Miami to second-year receiver Zay Jones is a perfect example of him seeing the field and making the right read and a good throw.

"Some feel field vision is something that can be taught, and others think it's kind of what it is," Cosell said. "So, we'll find that out. But his ability to make certain kinds of throws - the touchdown, for instance, he threw to Zay Jones ... where he sat in the pocket, waited for the route concept to develop and then was able to drive the ball with the velocity to Jones. It was dagger, which is a combination route with a go route and a dig right underneath it. That was a big time NFL throw."